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d. Motivation affects the learning strategies and cognitive processes an
individual employs. It increases the possibility that people will pay attention to something, study and practice it and try to learn it in a
meaningful fashion. It also increases the possibility that they will seek help when they meet difficulty.
4. The Characteristics of Motivated Students
Ur 1996:275 says that motivated learner is someone who is willing or even eager to invest effort in learning activities and to progress. Moreover
this learner motivation makes teaching and learning immeasurably easier and more pleasant as well as productive. Naiman in Ur, 1996:275 also adds that
the most successful learners are not necessarily those whose language comes very easily; they are those who display certain typical characteristics, most of
them clearly associated with motivation. There are: 1 Positive Task Orientation. The students who are motivated in learning are willing to tackle
tasks and challenges and have confidence in his or her success, 2 Ego- Involvement. The student finds it important to succeed in learning in
maintaining and promote his or her own positive self image, 3 Need for achievement. The student has a need to achieve, to overcome difficulties and
succeed in what he or she sets out to do, 4 High aspiration. The student is very aware of the goals of learning or of specific learning activity and directs
his or her efforts toward achieving them, 5 Perseverance. The student consistently invests a high level of effort in learning and is not discouraged by
setbacks or apparent lack of progress, 6 Tolerance of ambiguity. The student is not disturbed of frustrated by situation involving a temporary lack of
understanding or confusion; he or she can live with theses patiently, in confidence that the understanding will come latter.
Moreover, Folk Wisdom 2004 says that “unmotivated students just won’t learn”, that “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it
drinks”. This proverb comes to mind when seen from how different are
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various student’s attitude to foreign language. For one student, learning a language is personally significant, he is motivated to language learning
though motives may differ: self-actualization, high achievement motivation, goal orientation, avoidance of failure; for another student, language is a
heavy burden which he has to carry, and he does not hide his boredom. But this situation can be understood differently by a teacher who can think
critically: it is mostly a sign which reveals whether the teaching methods and approaches are effective and relevant to students’ need.
E. Rational
